Bound
by Eternal Payne
Summary: Tsukene's fifteen and heading off to his first year of high school... again. Immortality's not all it's cracked up to be, especially when you've been fifteen for seven centuries. Being a zombie does have its up sides, just not when you're surrounded by high class monsters. Still better a D-rank monster than a human, right?


I do not own Rosario+Vampire. Any parts that resemble the Anime or Manga are probably from it.

* * *

Tsukune Aono sighed. He was an average looking boy, almost too average with his black hair and brown eyes, dressed in the standard Youkai Academy uniform and was currently resting his head against the window of the bus that was taking him to said Academy, where he would be a first year.

Again.

It wasn't the first time he had entered a High school. Nor was it the second, or even the third. Ever since the end of the War social services had started being more zealous about making teenagers go to school. It had picked up slowly, but from the days when no one cared about a single orphaned sixteen year old, or so he appeared, now he could barely move for people trying to get him adopted or keeping him in school.

The Aono's were his most recent set of parents, having adopted him a few months ago, but he had already started weaving one of the few magics he could use around them, a minor one that would gradually make them forget about him. It would probably take most of the year, hence his applying to a boarding school, but it was necessary, lest they notice that their adopted son wasn't aging.

That was always an awkward conversation.

He would always be grateful for the minor magics he had learnt over his centuries long existence, even if the circumstances of his learning them had started... badly.

It was difficult to talk with an arrow in your throat. Bloody Elves.

But basic hypnotism kept people from remembering that they had ever met him if he bumped into them half a century later, still looking the same. The Glamours, that kept them from noticing the long scars all around his neck. And the healing magic, slow yes, but it wasn't like he had to worry about bleeding out.

Or dying in general. You can't kill what's already dead.

Necromancers were rare, which was good as the only way to truly kill a zombie, i.e. Tsukene, was to release the curse that bound them to their bodies. It took a long time to become a necromancer hence only long lived species became them. Species like vampires, like the vampire who raised him and his entire village from the dead. Unfortunately long lived species also get somewhat arrogant, like the vampire who raised him and his whole village from the dead.

He had been drained of all his Youki by casting the curse and died as a result.

Which had sucked for Tsukune and the village. They were now an army of mindless zombies without a leader, and they fed on each other until only Tsukune was left. And he stayed alone in the ruins of his village, surrounded by the bodies of his friends and family, mindless.

But anything that survives long enough gains its sentience, even if it had lost it in the first place.

One hundred years of shambling, and then suddenly he was aware again.

And wanting nothing more than to die.

But you can't kill what is already dead. The only way for Tsukune to truly die was to release the curse that bound him. The same curse that still bound the rest of his villagers to their bodies. The same bodies that no longer existed. And if they were sentient like he was, then they had nothing, no way to free themselves from their torment.

And Tsukune decided that if they couldn't release themselves then he would. He would go on a _mighty quest_ to release the _innocent_ _villagers_ from the _cruel_ _grip_ of a _Vampire_.

Sounded much cooler like that. After all they had waited a long time for heaven, and if he could help it they would wait no longer.

Six centuries later and he was no closer to releasing the curse. Oh he had learnt a great deal of things and visited a great many places, but monsters were hard to find, even in the middle ages when everyone knew they still existed. He had met Orcs and Elves, Mermaids and Trolls, the more common species of monster.

But not a Vampire.

And now, with every species hiding away from the world and dying out his journey would only get harder. All monsters were insular, even from each other and he hadn't met any in a century or so. He doubted they would suddenly all group together nice and easy for him to find. He would have to stick with it. He would not give up, even if it took another seven centuries.

Fortunately for Tsukune, he was about to get a lucky break, even if he didn't know it.

"...Youkai Academy is a verrrry horrifying school!" said the Bus Driver, his eyes glowing out from under his hat and pulling Tsukune out of his rather morbid thoughts, at least for anyone else.

"I'm sure it is," Tsukune deadpanned as they pulled out of the tunnel they had been travelling through, and into what appeared to be a wasteland. The trees were all lifeless and the sea was blood red.

He got off to the sound of the drivers condolences and picked up his bags, easily heaving them over his shoulders and started down the path to the Academy proper. That was one of very few bonuses to being a Zombie, the release of the human body's natural limiters. The downside was the complete lack of any intelligence hence most Zombies that had been raised on mass were some of the very few D-class monsters, barely a step up from humanity.

Tsukune personally had just about edged into C-rank, with the combination of his age, acquired knowledge and magical ability pushing him up.

And sanity. That was always important.

He was still taking in his surroundings, growing more and more suspicious about the Academy. One, these were not normal human surroundings and Two, it was called _Youkai_ Academy.

His thoughts on the matter were however, interrupted by a growing scream and the arrival of a bicycle to his back.

A few moments later the world stopped spinning so he shook his head and pushed his hands to the ground, intending to get up. The strangely soft ground.

'Ah shit,' he thought, upon seeing his hands resting on the thighs of a rather attractive looking young lady, 'This is the part where she slaps me really hard. I hate bad first impressions.'

"Owwie," she mumbled girlishly, brushing her long pink hair out of her face as Tsukune quickly pulled his hands back, "Oh no! I didn't mean to run into you, I was just a little light headed, my anaemia was playing up again."

"Don't worry about it, here let me help you up," Tsukune replied, extending a hand and hoping she'd forget about where they'd had been.

"Oh, you're bleeding," she said, worry on her face as she extended her handkerchief to wipe the blood away, "the scent of blood... I... I'm losing control..."

Tsukune stared at the girl as she crawled into his lap, he wasn't going to complain but she was rather forward. And from her looks he didn't doubt she would end up as one of the more popular girls in the school.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, burying her face in his neck, "But I'm a Vampire."

*Capu-chu*

Tsukune could feel her fangs bite deep into his arteries, blood being drawn up through the fangs and into the mouth of the Vampire sitting in his lap. He didn't panic, wasn't like he was going to die after all.

Seconds after she bit him she recoiled back, her fangs tearing out of his flesh as she grabbed her throat and started spitting out all the blood she had sucked.

"Oh God, that tasted disgusting!" she cried, glaring at him like it was his fault she had a mouthful of gone-off blood, "It was like sewage!"

She grabbed her things and her bike then turned to glare at him again before sprinting off in the direction of the academy buildings.

'Ok,' Tsukune thought, 'Plus points, I groped a hot girl's thighs and didn't get slapped, minus points, I made a bad first impression on the only Vampire I've ever met and it wasn't even my fault.'

'...fuck.'

* * *

Tsukune was currently sat in his homeroom, listening to his teacher, a Miss Shizuka Nekonome, welcome them all to Youkai Academy, a school for monsters, and monsters only.

Although he had figured it out after meeting the pink haired Vampire, it was nice to have some confirmation, even if he had been able to pick out quite a few species of monsters that were sat around he didn't know if there were any humans here. He doubted they'd last long if they did.

Although he wasn't quite sure how they'd be at co-existence. Humans may have been violent and hunted down monsters during the middle ages but monsters had been preying on humans like they were cattle.

Not to mention that despite every monsters physical superiority to humans, almost every medical and technological advance had come from humans. The diseases that plagued humanity in the middle ages? They were gone, cured forever or countered by vaccines. But those that affected monsters? They were still going strong unless they affected humans as well.

Just like this academy was based on something human, so were running water and electricity, unless you were willing to pay an exorbitant sum to have something permanently enchanted. And even those were merely recreating a human idea.

Oh there were monster doctors and scientists, but there were so many humans that there was always someone who'd just had a brain wave. Humans who fought fight genocidal wars against each other, then turn around and work together to save another's live.

He was brought out of his thoughts by another of his classmates asking if it wouldn't be better for them if they ate all the puny humans. Or molest the beautiful girls.

'Oh that's lovely.'

'Obviously he's going to fail at maths. One million monsters with their natural strength, the same strength they've always had, against six billion armed humans.'

Nekonome-sensei shifted uncomfortably, but ended up diverting the question my telling the student that there were no actual humans on campus so it was off no concern.

They discussion was put on hold by the door to their classroom opening and the same pink haired Vampire from earlier wandering in, telling them she'd gotten lost after the entrance ceremony. Tsukune wasn't surprised by his classmates' reactions, she was damn hot, and it was fairly obvious she would become the school idol in a short while.

Some of them were really quite over the top though. He knew most monsters had children early, and he imagined that quite a few would be here for no other reason than to find a partner, but was being an utter fanboy the way to win her heart? Not to mention that Vampires tended to mate late in life, due to their longer lifespan.

Not to mention everyone was in a human form. She could look completely different underneath.

Kind of like he did. Not many girls digged the rotting flesh look.

He was surprised she didn't feel uncomfortable, given how many male monsters were clustering themselves around her desk, not to mention the one who wanted to molest all the girls draping his arm over her shoulders. Was she really that naive?

The answer was apparently yes, as she was completely oblivious to all the boys edging away now he had put his arm around her and staked his claim on her.

He turned his attention away from her and onto the lesson.

At least until he realized it was human history.

He didn't need to learn about that, he'd lived through it.

Instead he put his mind towards his task. He had to make friends with the Vampire, see if she knew anything about binding rituals, or had any way to find about them. But how to do that? She had enough mindless fanboys, even if she had only been at school for an hour, so that was out. A distant admirer? By the looks of it, she would be too naive to realise.

Once again he cursed bad first impressions. It would be so much easier if he had made friends with her then.

* * *

It wasn't long, at least for Tsukune, till lessons for the day ended and like most of the other male monsters Tsukune followed Moka, who had announced herself to the class, out into the hallways. She seemed rather taken with the corridors, fussing about like they were new and exciting, which only reinforced her naivety to Tsukune. She also expanded her fanclub with every male monster who saw her, and even some of the females.

He wondered why none of them were making a move on her, but that was solved when he saw the delinquent glaring at anyone who got too close to her. Listening to some of the gossiping teens he found out why.

"...That guy is Saizou Komiya!"

"...One of those ill-mannered suspicious rogue monsters..."

"...Caused too many problems in the human world..."

"...Quite the ladies man, from all the human women he's molested..."

"...Forced into the Academy against his will..."

A rapist. Tsukune hated rapists. But then again he hated murderers and thieves too, although that was a bit hypocritical of him, given that he had actual committed the crimes of murder and theft over his centuries long life, unlike rape.

Still she was a Vampire, and if she could fight Saizou then who could?

He was surprised none of them were going to step up and help her, given that he was fairly sure he was the only one who knew she was a Vampire and that she looked rather uncomfortable as Saizou led her off with his arm holding her attractive form close to his own.

A quick look around revealed that everyone else was dispersing as Saizou pulled Moka away from the crowd. Tsukune however decided to follow them, anything he could find out would allow him to befriend her slightly easier. Saizou didn't seem like a very nice guy and if helping Moka beat Saizou down would get Tsukune in her good graces, then he could deal with the minor stalker-like feeling he thought he was giving out at the moment.

* * *

A few minutes' walk later the new couple and their silent stalker had found themselves quite a distance from the academy, with no one else in sight. It was then that Saizou stepped off of the well worn path they had been on and towards somewhere more... secluded.

Tsukune stuck to the shadows as Saizou took Moka further and further into the mass of graves and twisted trees that were around the school, until Saizou pushed her towards a headstone and started pulling off his jacket.

"Moka Akashiya," Saizou said, his tongue lengthening and changing, "When I first saw you walk into my class I knew I had to have you! None of those puny human girls were comparable to your beauty and I just can't stop myself! I need you, need to do to you what I did to them..."

"Saizou?" she muttered gently as his form twisted and bulked up, "I... I don't want this... someone, help me..."

Tsukune sighed. As a plea for help it was terrible, but he knew that it was as good a cue as he was going to get.

"I don't think you want to be doing that Saizou," Tsukune called, drawing their attention to him, "It might be bad for your health."

"Who the hell are you to interrupt our... private time?" Saizou spat, as Moka hurried over to hide behind Tsukune, "And where are you going woman? I'll be having my fun whether you let me or not!"

Again Saizou bulked up, this time revealing his true nature. Or what would have been his true nature if his wasn't a monstrel. Tsukune sighed, again. It was always difficult to deal with monstrels as you never knew what they could do, whether they had retained any of their ancestors' abilities or if they were just physically strong.

Unfortunately they were almost all stronger than Tsukune, but he did have a plan to deal with Saizou if he was anything that was stronger than he was. He put it into action.

"Soo... Moka... you're a Vampire, right? Think you can deal with this guy?"

"Ahh! I can't..." she started, then drew his attention to her cleavage, "This Rosario seals my power, and when it comes off my true scary inner self is released."

"Well," Tsukune replied, as he pushed her backwards and ducked beneath one of Saizou claws as he took a swipe at them, "Take it off then!"

"I can't remove it myself!"

"What." Tsukune deadpanned, dodging another swipe as he did so.

"It can only be removed by someone who loves me and means me no harm!" she replied as the two off them dived out of the way of a thrown boulder, "Although it did come off that one time it got caught on the door..."

"What." Tsukune deadpanned again, momentarily shocked into stillness by the stupid release conditions. It wasn't long, but it was enough for Saizou's claws to catch his left arm and tear through it like some much wet tissue.

"No!" Moka cried, her eyes firmly fixed onto the arm that was currently falling to the ground as Tsukune lurched away, a grimace on his face, and held the bleeding stump that it had been attached to.

She was cut off by Saizou laughter as he picked the arm off the floor, ignoring the way the fingers flexed.

"If it means that much to you Moka, why don't you have it?" he shouted, before throwing the arm as hard as he could at her. She stumbled backwards, far enough that the arm didn't touch her, but too little to completely avoid it.

She didn't take her eyes off it, and neither did Tsukune, as it flew a little further before landing in the dirt, the Rosario grasped firmly in its hand, and glinting in the light.

It was then that they all felt it, pure power weighing them down and pushing them away from her. Saizou looked away but Tsukune just covered his eyes and tried to squint past the youki storm that raged around them.

How many chances would he get to see a Vampire transform after all?

He could see her pink hair lengthening and turning silver and she grew a little... a lot curvier, but he thought there would be more. There were no wings, no storm of bats, just overwhelming power and then some.

Then she opened her eyes, and he could see the disgust and distain in those crimson orbs. He hoped it was only the latter directed towards him, after all Vampires tended to... _remove _things that disgusted them.

He would say that she was more attractive than the other Moka, in that beautiful from a distance, cruel up close kind of way. He imagined it was a Vampire thing.

"Just like the legends!" Saizou stuttered out, as he backed away and drew her attention to him, "Red eyes, silver hair and such intense youki! Truly this... this is a super Vampire!"

"And where are you going _Monstrel_? I'll be having my fun whether you let me or not!" she said seductively, throwing Saizou words back in his face, "But don't worry, I'll make sure you KNOW YOUR PLACE!"

Then she kicked him.

In truth that was an understatement. All that energy, that malicious power gathered to a single point, and then she lashed out, her foot smashing into Saizou face with all the subtlety of a brick, deforming it so far that Tsukune couldn't tell his nose from his ear. Then his body rocketed off into the distance, flying through trees and headstones like they weren't even there.

And then she turned to him.

So Tsukune played it safe, and did what he had learnt as the best method for dealing with something overwhelming powerful that you can't run away from.

He grovelled.

"Akashiya-sama, I apologise for allowing such a creature to touch you," Tsukune said to the ground, having bowed and daring not to look up. She couldn't kill him, but if she kicked him like she did Saizou it would take him ages to put himself back together.

That was always an inconvenience.

"Oh, are you scared of me?" she asked as she walked towards him.

"No Akashiya-sama, I am respectful of your power, and the dignity and grace with which you wield it." Flattery was always good he thought as he straightened up, just in time to catch her look away, a slight pinkish tinge on her pale cheeks.

"And where is my Rosario? And your arm for that matter?"

"It's in my hand."

"Your hands are empty... Oh. That hand."

"Well, your blood may taste like Kokoa's cooking," she muttered, half to herself as she sauntered over to where his arm and her Rosario had landed, picking them up and throwing his arm back to him, "But you do know your place...

I am tired," she suddenly announced, "And in the absence of anyone better, you will babysit my sentimental outer self. At least, until we meet again."

And with that ominous parting comment she clipped the Rosario back onto her choker and collapsed into Tsukene's arms, as he desperately tried to catch her with one good arm and not get blood on her.

Tsukune sighed, again. He looked down at the beauty lying on his good arm, and his not-so-good arm lying on the ground. He was fairly sure they counted as being friends but he wished she would wake up, he had no way to get them both back to the dorms with one arm.

And he hadn't even bought his sewing kit.


End file.
